Introduction to Gamemaker and several core objects

1. Introduction to GameMaker
GameMaker Series
jhealy@Microsoft.com
@devfish

2. Game Maker
First version in 1998
Goal was
• Let everybody have fun creating games
• Age range 8-88
• For non-programmers and programmers
• Let people be creative
• No limitation to particular game types
• User feels she created the game
• PRO: Have fun
• EDU: Teach (unconsciously) basic concepts in computer science
• Create interest in computer science

3. Game Maker: Global Idea
Rapid Application Development Environment
• Create and include sprites, sounds, music
• Define game objects and their behavior
• Level design
• Creates single executable
Focus on ease of use
• More features not
neccesarily make the
product easier

4. Game Maker: Global Idea
Primarily 2-dimensional but support for 3D graphics
• Alpha blended graphics
• Particle systems
• Surfaces
No programming required but built-in language
• Functions for advanced graphics, path planning, data
structures, files, network play, ...
Extendible
• Actions, functions, DLLs
• Many extension packages available

5. Game Maker – License Model
• Free edition for Win Desk – commercial ok – locked
splash screen
• Pro - $99 - Windows 8
• Other modules available on various prices for other OS
• Mac, Ubuntu, HTML5, Android, iOS, WP8, Tizen, Xbox,
PS4, PS3.... More coming...
http://www.yoyogames.com/studio

6. Game Maker: Games
All genres of games
• Maze, Platform, Puzzle, ...
• 3D games
• Multiplayer games

7. Welcome Screen
• Demos and tutorials
• News
• Release notes
• Other stuff…

8. Game Studio

9. Game Maker: Structure
DATA:
•Sprites
•Sounds
•Backgrounds
•Fonts
CONTROL:
•Objects
•Timelines
•Scripts
•Paths
LEVELS:
•Rooms
•Views
•Tiles
Can all also be created from code

10. Catch the clown
DEMO

11. SPRITES
CORE OBJECT

12. SPRITE
• Image container
• Image editor built-in
• Can contain sprite sheets
• Supports
• BMP, PNG, SWF, JPG
• SPINE
• GameMaker files
• Name appropriately – “spr_clown”

13. SPRITE SHEET
• Set of images
• All same size
• Nameofsprite_stripNN
• NN is number of sprites in sheet – firefly_strip15.png

14. Sprite – SWF
• SWF – adobe format
• Search “glitch” swfs for some freebies

15. Sprite - spine
• Spine is hot new animator -
http://esotericsoftware.com/
• $69-$289 depending

16. SOUND
CORE OBJECT

17. SOUND
• WAV or MP3
• Caution: Not all work
• AUDACITY is your friend
• HTML5 / Win8 may no like your sound system
• Switch to legacy under global game settings

18. OBJECTS
• Object Oriented, Event Driven
• Everything is an object
• Object can have a graphical representation (sprite)
• Objects react to events
• Collisions, user input, timers, etc.
• Actions are then executed
• Objects can have parent objects and inherent their behavior

19. INVISIBLE OBJECTS
• Useful as controllers
• Play background music
• Can be used to ‘overlay’ draw things on forms
• Watch out, don’t place multiples on form if only
one is desired

20. ROOMS
• Think “screen”
• Can actually be bigger than the screen
• Used for play surface
• Also used for menus, title screens, et cetera
• Order of rooms is important – can navigate from
one room the next and back

21. BACKGROUNDS
One big picture
Tiled picture
Can move and scroll when placed in room

22. TIP OF THE DAY - CLOUDS
• Open paint.net new blank image
• Edit Select All, hit Delete.
Everything left is transparent.
• Save as “cloud.png”
• Draw with big brush some white
and grey clouds
• “Hardness set to low”
• Pull into room as layer
• Set motion on layer to 4 or such

23. Joe Healy / jhealy@Microsoft.com / @devfish
Thank You
http://www.yoyogames.com
http://dfwiki.devfish.net – search GameMaker